the heart can't skip a beat
by wereallmadherealice
Summary: Stars burn in his throat as he exhales ashes and brimstone. It feels a lot like dying and a lot like being reborn. With it comes a crushing weight of loneliness and guilt that keeps pressing down on him. And yet, in spite of that, he smiles. Eventual Giyuu/Tanjirou. Time-travel. Beware of manga spoilers!
1. Chapter 1

For once, his awareness returns to him slowly, almost like through a fog. It's a luxury none had been able to afford for a very long time now.

But he is alive. And that is..

Well. It is something.

Stars burn in his throat as he exhales ashes and brimstone.

It feels a lot like dying and a lot like being reborn.

With it comes a crushing weight of loneliness and guilt that keeps pressing down on him.

And yet, in spite of that, he smiles.

The emotions threaten to overwhelm and suffocate him; and all he can do is greedily gasp for air, choking and trying to drag it past the ashes that are closing up his throat. He hardly even notices the sticky wetness of tears falling from his eyes, as they slide down his temples and into his hair. Doesn't feel how they slowly halt their descent, more so because of the freezing cold than any effort to conceal them on his part.

And as he lies there on the cold, hard ground, feeling raw and exhausted; and feeling his eyes burn as his eyelashes stick and clump together between slow blinks..

..even so, he continues smiling.

* * *

As his vision slowly focuses, he sees stars twinkle down at him, unconcerned and cold. From his limited angle the moon casts unnatural shadows, making everything appear almost dreamlike. Even the smells are strangely muted.

If a demon attacked him now he doesn't know if he could defend himself. (He would. There's no choice.) He's so tired. (But aware. Always so aware.) He gives a slow blink. (He can't smell any demons nearby.) A lone snowflake gets caught in his eyelashes. (There is no one around for miles.)

He doesn't know where he is. It doesn't really matter.

'You're on borrowed time.' A voice whispers to him. 'Never forget that.' He wouldn't. Of course, he wouldn't. He can't.

His chest continues to rise and fall. That, especially, seems like a dream. His heartbeat has slowed down, and detachedly he wonders if the heart is borrowed too.

He doesn't know.

It hurts so fiercely, it burns. Like a living pyre within his ribcage.

* * *

He lies in the snow for what feels like hours, his clothes slowly collecting snowflakes and letting them melt into the fabric.

A couple land on his face, near his eyes, on his lips. He's cold enough that they don't melt immediately and is lucid enough to realize that that should worry him more than it does.

Curiously, he lets his tongue trace his lips and taste the tiny flakes. They taste like prinpicks of cold and nothingness and numbness.

That about sums up how he feels too.

Eventually he forces himself to move. He twitches his fingers, tries to bend his toes. His heart may not be his own, but that does not make him immune to hypothermia. Probably. Wouldn't that be nice?

He needs to move. Because if he doesn't... well. His lips draw into a self-deprecating smirk. If he doesn't, then it soon won't matter whether his time is borrowed or not.

* * *

Heaving himself to his feet is a task that's easier than he ever imagined. His body feels lighter than a feather and his capabilities don't seem to have diminished at all.

'Strange. But good.' He nods resolutely, wrapping his numbed fingertips around the hilt of his blade and making sure it's secure.

'One foot in front of the other..' his sister's voice hums melodically in his head. 'One in front of the other..'

He nods in acknowledgement.

He takes a step, and another, and another until they flow together like water, like wind. He senses a great vastness in front of him but doesn't stop even as he runs straight for the cliff.

Step..

Step..

Jump.

He releases a breath, shuddering and visible, in the cold night and his heart thumps louder.

He always did love to fly.

Or, as close, as one could get to it anyway.

'It's 'falling' only if you don't know how to land', Shinobu had once told him with a smile on her lips and a mischievous twinkle in her eyes; her haori fluttering around her like butterly wings, right before she had gone and pushed him off a roof as a 'learning experience'.

He hadn't been able to sleep for a week after that, in fear she'd come after him again.

He misses her. He misses many people.

But as the wind rushes past his ears, and ground approaches faster than before, Tanjirou smiles.

He feels alive.


	2. Chapter 2

It's many hours later when he finally catches the scent of nearby humans. Not a huge settlement, but not so few either. It's a village rather than an isolated community.

He consciously slows his stride to something that more resembles that of an untrained person and forcibly relaxes his shoulders from their tense posture.

After a second's contemplation he also arranges his blade to be hidden from the view, but still available to be drawn at a moment's notice.

Swords tend to get raised eyebrows and questions. He neither wants nor needs any attention.

Soon enough, the first lights appear between the tree leaves and he cautiously steps forward, eyes flickering from side to side, taking in nearby buildings that start at the very edge of the forest from which he has just come out of. He carefully scans the open field, checking for anyone suspicious. It's a bit silly, maybe, but the instinct has become deeply ingrained by now and it's always better to be paranoid then dead. You never know with demons.

It's fairly busy for such a late night. A light breeze brings over a faint sound of bells and laughter. A festival maybe?

He has no idea what the date is.

He walks closer, taking in the buildings and atmosphere. Lanterns illuminate the streets with a soft glow and wind chimes sway in the slight breeze. There's groups of people walking around, friends and families - by the looks all dressed fancier than normal - chattering as they make their way down the streets.

He takes a deep breath and wrinkles his nose, smelling the tang of deception, in between content and happiness. It immediately draws his gaze to a small group of young men, lounging near an entrance of a run-down looking pub.

The way they keep eyeing the passing people and assessing their valuables, Tanjirou would guess they're pickpockets. He sniffs the air again. A sickly smell of sweetness and something like static in the air before a lightning strike. In it for the thrill, rather than a need then. Unsavoury, but barely worth his notice otherwise.

Tanjirou flawlessly integrates himself into the crowd as he steps onto a busy street, his movements graceful and fluid. It's easy to play a part of an excited teen and he lets his eyes roam around in a curious wonder while simultanously scanning for threats and keeping an eye out for the thieves. Not all of it is an act either; he feels genuine happiness hearing the easy laughter of nearby couples and the children, as they cheer while chasing after each other.

He does not expect to find any serious danger right now anyway. This far into the past the status quo of the last few decades has not been broken yet.

The upper demon ranks have remained unchanged for centuries and dangerous as they are, right now they are surprisingly removed from the normal day to day lives of most citizens. If he plays this right, that will make them easier targets, even if not 'easy' ones by any means.

Even so, he keeps his guard up, wandering down the streets.

* * *

"What can I get for you?" The street vendor asks him cheerfully.

Tanjirou opens his mouth, grimaces and offers an apologetic smile as he hides behind his sleeve with a cough.

The villager watches him sympathetically. "A cold, hmm? Don't worry young sir, save your voice. My brother has the same thing right now. This cold weather has caught the best of us unaware. Just point at what you'd like when you've decided. By gods, you must be cold, no thanks to the weather, but good food is the best for happy soul and speedy recovery.."

Tanjirou smiles and gives a small bow to show his appreciation. He lets the vendor's chatter wash over him while he ponders his choices. It's all a small-town gossip, not especially useful, but familiar and comforting. He makes sure to nod at appropriate intervals and doesn't hide a smile at the more amusing stories and time passes pleasantly.

"Sorry about that!" The man laughs, scratching at the back of his head. "Here I am, taking advantage of an attentive listener. I'm sure you're bored to tears, young man!"

Tanjirou shakes his head. 'Not at all.' He mouths, smiling at the vendor. The answering grin lights up his whole face. It's nice, this calmness. His life has not seen it in quite a while.

With a small wave of his hand he brings the man's attention back to him and then points at the yakisoba.

"Comin right up!"

He enjoys the moment for what it is.

* * *

It's a while later that Tanjirou returns to wandering the streets. The vendor had waved him off with well wishes and encouragment to enjoy the festivities.

It left him with a lingering warmth inside. Nezuko would have loved this too. All the beautifully dressed people, the various trinkets being sold... all of it.

Nezuko's voice does not comment, but if he closes his eyes, he can almost imagine her arms enveloping him in a hug. He takes comfort in it, small as it might be.

* * *

As he continues to wander around, he notices the pickpockets he saw earlier. They seem to have found a target.

Tanjitou frowns. He does not wish to draw any attention to himself, but he's good at being sneaky and he is not someone who is willing to stand aside and do nothing to help when it is in his ability to do _something_. What makes it easier is that these guys are definitely not professionals.

A small grin spreads across his face. He bends down, pretending to adjust his shoe and carefully picks up a couple of small stones, hardly bigger than his fingernail.

He straightens up, dusts off his pants, and makes his way to the side of street to lean against the wall. This gives him a good view of the street and the would-be thief.

He observes as the man attempts to casually (incredibly clumsily, in his humble opinion) stroll down the street, trying to tail his victim.

The crowd is large, but if he can just...

..wait..

..and..

There!

Tanjirou flicks the tiny stone with considerable force and incredible precision, tracking it's path as it flies through the gap from where the crowd had briefly parted, before it rams itself straight into the would-be-assailants head.

'Victory!' Nezuko's voice cheers in his head and Tanjirou surpresses a laugh. 'Yes! That was quite succesful!'

The man had gone down with a shout immediately and was now blinking confusedly at the night sky as the concerned faces of the villagers filled his vision as they gathered around him trying to offer help.

He was not likely to try again today, not with all the attention he had drawn to himself.

With Tanjirou's help.

Not that anyone needed to know that.

The unfortunate 'accident' also seemed to have dissuaded his friends from any further attempts to try anything else adventurous.

He smiled. It felt good to be able to help, even in such a small way.

* * *

'There is nothing to do but wait.'

Tanjirou sighs and briefly loses himself to memories.

_"All you need to do is wait. If everything goes as planned, you won't have to wait long. Stay close to a populated area if you prefer, but travelling should not affect anything." _

_..._

_"Father will 'see' your arrival. It is unprecedented, but I have faith that he will know."_

...

_"I can tell you're confused. You wonder why you shouldn't head straight to him."_

_..._

_"Whether the Pillars are to be informed... I will leave it up to Father - he will know if it is best for them to know or not..."_

...

_"..what would I do? Well, I am unsure. Despite having prepared for this my whole life, there is a lot that I still could have learned. Father did his best, but in this case I think Father's experiences will be more valuable than mine... though I doubt that even he will be prepared for this. But he will adapt. We are good at that."_

* * *

Tanjirou blinks to clear away the memory. 'Not even a day in the past and your head is already in the clouds.' Nezuko's voice whispers, warm with amusement.

He cracks a smile. 'You're right.'

He notices the festivities are still going on, so he probably has a while before he has to find a place to stay for the night.

It's strange to be able to wander around without his guard constantly up. He doesn't think he'll be able to relax completely - can't really - but just the fact that he doesn't have to be fully alert every second of the day makes him realize just how tired he feels now that he has been given a breather.

By the end of it, most slayers had travelled around in groups of at least two or more. Going alone meant either an immediate death if someone caught you - if you were lucky - or a horrible, drawn-out torture that was _eventually_ followed by death - if you were unlucky.

They had lost many, even when everyone had been so careful about staying together.

The reminecence is painful, so Tanjirou takes a deep breath and pushes the matter to the back of his mind, to be dealt with later.

'What are my priorities?' He asks himself, determined to focus himself with easy tasks.

'Waiting. Scouting. Travelling?' The word is hesitant, and feels questioning to his own ears. However, it's something to consider. Nezuko's voice hums agreeably so he nods. 'Gathering supplies. Hmm.' The only task he is able to actively do something about.

From there he constructs a simple list of things he'll need for the travel; whether Oyakata-sama contacts him sooner or later, it is still likely to be a couple-of-day journey, and he wants to be ready. After that? A place to spend the night.

He doubts he will sleep, even as exhaustion crawls down his spine. But it gives him something to do.

* * *

Early morning of the same night finds Tanjirou on the floor in front of a desk; in a room of the local inn.

It's small, but it's clean and comfortable.

More comfortable than he's been used to as of late.

Absently, he nibbles the end of his newly purchased pen, staring blankly at the empty page in front of him.

With a sigh he starts with the basics.

_Leader: Muzan Kibutsuji_

_1\. Kokushibo - Breath of the Moon user_

_2\. Doma_

_3\. Akaza_

_4\. Nakime/Hantengu_

_5\. Gyokko_

_6\. Gyutaro/Daki/Kaigaku_

_Lower Moons: decomissioned year xxxx.._

* * *

He spends time writing out every single detail he can remember, every encounter, every strenght and weakness of the individual demons and the way they were eventually defeated.

Kiriya-sama and his family had been invaluable in compiling the information. He had had eyes everywhere, every second of the day - a ginormous network of intelligence that stretched across the entire land.

They questioned the slayers who had either survived the encounters with Upper Moons, or had come out victorious; compiled and crosschecked every single detail multiple times to write out the most comphrehensible study of the Upper Moon demons ever done.

Tanjirou had been right by his side, memorizing every single detail, every page pushed his way, every conversation he was a part of.

_"Kiriya-sama is amazing." He had heard the slayers whisper. "He'll lead us to our victory." _

_And Tanjirou had looked to the side, looked at their leader and saw the unwavering faith in his eyes, even as the bags under his eyes grew more pronounced by the day and his shoulders sagged with the weight of the world, and how small that made him seem._

_He wondered if they remembered that despite all his incredible intelligence and skill, Kiriya-sama was still just a child underneath all that; one that had been forced to grow up way too quickly in a cruel world._

_And with each day, as he had stood by his side and looked, he saw how Kiriya-sama had a kind smile and a heartfelt thanks for everyone who came their way. And he saw how that same devotion and trust was reflected back, and his heart had broken for him, for all of them, because he knew what the purpose of these talks were - the end result that they had now laid their hopes on._

_And it had continued to break some more each day, for there was no time for a leader to break, not even to mourn._

_..._

* * *

A/N. I'm kind of depressed lately and what way to make myself better than to torture my favourite characters a little. Xoxo


	3. Chapter 3

When Tanjirou blinks back to awareness from his meditation, it's a late morning. The light that filters in through the window reflects dust that floats through air like tiny diamonds.

There's tranquil serenity in the moment. Last nights festivities had eventually quieted when the sun had been just about to rise, and the silence now covers the entire village like a blanket.

He sits still and soaks it in for a fleeting moment.

Finally, Tanjirou gives a quiet sigh and stretches his arms above his head, working out kinks in his back. He flexes his fingers and rotates the wrists, wincing slightly as the joints crack and pop.

He doesn't feel well rested, but at least some of the restlessness has settled.

He turns his attention towards the window fully and stares at the still form of the black _kasugaigarasu_ that has perched on the windowsill and seems to be watching him intensely in return.

Unsurprised, he quirks a brow at the crow, then gives a small smile and polite bow.

If it's unnerved by his silence, it does not show it, but it's nigh impossible to fool his sense of smell. When he takes a breath, he picks out curiosity, suspicion and confusion.

Tanjirou, however, expects nothing less. He recognizes this particular bird as one of Oyakata-sama's personal messengers. They are specially trained and tend to be even smarter than the normal _kasugaigarasu_.

Having a staring contest with one was not on his to-do-list today, but Tanjirou is happy to roll with it. It's an improvement from his usual mornings, really.

The crow cocks it's head. "The one with _hanafuda_ earrings, who appeared out of nowhere. You have been asked to report to Oyakata-sama." It says after a long minute of a quiet staring (observation). "Prepare and head out. I will guide you."

Tanjirou nods and moves to gather up the papers he had started preparing yesterday. He methodically sorts them into several piles, depending on the subject and importance, and carefully folds them over, before placing them in neat rows in a sack that he had also purchased yesterday.

There are more to be written, more to be done, but he thinks he's done decent job so far.

As he works, his mind wanders back to days previous.

* * *

_Money might be an odd thing to consider right now, but it had presented an interesting problem for them back in his... back before he travelled time._

_They had prepared as best as they could, before his coming to the past. Kiriya-sama had made sure that the servants would provide him with anything he cared so much as to look at, although he hadn't really taken advantage of it, finding it mostly pointless._

_No one had been sure whether material possessions would even carry through on the journey, so over-preparedness was a moot point. Either it would happen or it wouldn't - Tanjirou hadn't found it necessary to dwell on an issue he had no control over._

_The only things on his person for the journey were his blade, his attire, some money and a letter from Kiriya-sama to Oyakata-sama. If he would be able to take anything, these would be the ones that would matter the most. Everything else was replacable._

_He had inquired to Kiriya-sama about the letter. Surely, if it was important, he should just memorize it?_

_When he inquired about it, it was as if the young man had read his exact thoughts._

_'Once you are there, you either will have your possessions with you, or you won't. Whether the letter makes it or not, will be left to chance. I know you could easily commit it to your memory and relay it to Father, but something inside tells me to not question this. If it will be necessary, it will be there.'_

_So Tanjirou hadn't questioned him, accepting his leader's reasoning. He never found out what the letter contained, but he trusted Kiriya-sama. If he needed to know, he would know when the time was right. _

* * *

_Speaking of the trip itself, they (specifically, the researchers they had gathered to puzzle over calculations needed to make this work) had had no idea as to where in the past he would wind up, aside from being able to say with some _extremely _vague, hand-wavy shrugging that it would probably be somewhere in Japan._

_For all they knew, he could have woken up stark naked in the middle of a body of water somewhere _near_ Japan._

_So really, Tanjirou had learned to count his blessings. To be able to carry through the things he had, the ones most important to him, was what he was most thankful about._

* * *

Information can be recreated, Tanjirou knows.

He shuffles the last remaining papers off the table, making sure the ink has dried, where it had dripped over some of the words he wrote yesterday.

Information is in his head, it just needs to be written down.

His nichirin-blade, on the other hand, is special. Yes, it exists in the current timeline, but not in the same capacity.

The blade is precious and has been through a lot with him as the wielder, while Haganezuka-san had literally endured torture, spilled blood and even lost an eye, all while he was making sure the blade was as perfect as it could possibly be.

Not to mention it also contains the memento of Rengoku-san from his time.

Taking a breath, Tanjirou closes his eyes and sends a quick prayer and a thank you to Haganezuka-san, Rengoku-san, and everyone else who made sacrifices in hope for a better future.

He vows to do whatever is possible to make sure that neither this Rengoku-san, nor Haganezuka-san will ever have to make sacrifices like that.

He promises to do his best to prepare everyone for what's to come, to his best ability.

Know thy enemy and never neglect your body. Information and training are both crucial.

"Follow! Follow!" The crow calls at him.

'_Impatient_.' Tanjirou thinks, sweeping his hand over the desk, making sure it's clean of any ink stains.

He slings the bag over his shoulder, takes three steps to the window, takes a deep breath and soundlessly jumps on the windowsill, from there flipping himself on the roof.

A light breeze blows through his hair, lightly swaying it in the wind. It's still cold, but right now it brings him comfort, reminding him of simpler times, from so very long ago.

It feels like a lifetime since he was on the mountain he once called 'home'.

He exhales his breath in a visible puff and pushes the lingering memories back before they become painful, rather than just bringing the usual bittersweetness and melancholy.

He nods at his companion and jumps across the roofs, quickly following the _kasugaigarasu_, as it takes to the skies.

He feels like wind.

* * *

_On the last day of what would become his future-past, Kiriya-sama had sought him out during a moment of solitude._

_They had sttood in a comfortable silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts._

_Kiriya-sama sighed._

_'We've done all we could.' He said, gazing past Tanjirou, into the garden, where the wisteria trees were in an almost-full bloom. 'We've given you all the information we can.'_

_It's not a question, but Tanjirou nods anyway, sensing something deeper into the conversation._

_'We gave you what we could.' He repeats. His eyes find Tanjirou's and hold his gaze captive._

_'Tanjirou-san, you can't always save everyone.' Kiriya-sama's voice lowers, and Tanjirou looks at him -stricken - wondering whether his emotions are truly so easily discernable. It's easier to dwell on that, rather than the hurt the words have brought forward._

_Kiriya-sama smiles. It's a sad smile, with an edge of bitterness._

_'I see it in your heart. Your wish to protect everyone is admireable and noble; and born out of love. A love for your siblings, your family and your friends - even strangers. It's pure, this desire, and I sincerely pray for your success.'_

_'However, it's war, Tanjirou-san. You will win some battles, you will lose some, that's the nature of conflict.'_

_'The information we collected will give us an advantage, but once you start changing things, the accuracy of it will lower.'_

_'We're not the only ones capable of adapting.'_

_Kiriya-sama sounds tired, despite his eyes being alert as always. Right now they are boring into his own and Tanjirou feels his own burning, tears threatening to spill over._

_Worst part is; he is right. He knows exactly how many losses they have endured and he knows - feels, smells - that Kiriya-sama carries the guilt around him like a heavy shroud._

_Kiriya-sama's eyes gentle. He extends his small hands and takes Tanjirou's own, clasping it in between his. He smells of guilt and wisteria, and honesty, and tiny, fragile hope._

_Tanjirou's (borrowed) heart thuds heavily in his chest. _

_'Tanjirou-san. I am not saying this out of cruelty. I am saying this, because in case something goes wrong, I want you to not blame yourself. You are just one man. Accept the help and don't carry the burden all by yourself. You have allies. You have us. We all know how dangerous this life is and yet we're not afraid to die.'_

_'Your heart is strong. Do not forget to listen to it.'_

_"Safe travels, Kamado Tanjirou-san."_

_And Tanjirou had felt the strenght in him give out for just a moment - just one - and he had allowed himself to fall down on his knees and weep; Kiriya-sama's hands still enveloping his own._


	4. Chapter 4

The travelling seems like it will take a couple of days, overall. The _kasugaigarasu_ does confirm it, but doesn't talk much otherwise, except to call out directions and updates about the nearby towns and villages – all of which Tanjirou carefully avoids.

The crow's suspicion of him has lessened a little over the time, instead it now mostly smells of worry and irritation in about equal parts.

Tanjirou knows why, he just prefers to ignore it. The entire time they have been travelling he has staunchly refused to listen to the crow's suggestions of actually approaching the civilisation and getting some sleep.

The only compromise they have eventually been able to settle on – the _kasugaigarasu_ with some nagging at first, and then visible reluctance, and Tanjirou with definite resignation – is that he would take at least a couple of hours every other day (and only during the day) to meditate. It's the closest to sleeping Tanjirou is currently is capable of.

He can't make himself relax. He's also smart enough to know that when his body can't keep up anymore he will crash, and do so badly, but by then he will hopefully be at the corps.

It's only a little illogical, (Tanjirou is aware enough of himself to recognise that he experiences the currently-irrational fear due to his participation in the war) and quite possibly would have been suicidal of his part, if not for the previously mentioned status-quo.

Even though he keeps telling himself that it is safe here and now, he has not been able to quell the anxiousness. Every sound during the night, any movement from the trees – he would flinch back to full awareness immediately – feeling like ants were crawling under his skin and his hand already on the hilt of his half-drawn blade.

Logically, he does know that there are no demons around, and he also knows that even if there were any, none are capable of acting during the day. Plus, he would be able to pick them out by scent before any would even realize that there was a slayer around.

He had gotten really good at that, over the years. Detecting.

If he's being completely honest, it's strange in many ways; not being able to smell the coppery sweetness of blood that had eventually permeated the air they breathed, in his old time.

And isn't that a horrible thought.

Tanjirou sighs, letting his eyes slide across the passing scenery.

Be as it may be, if the war had taught him anything, it was that letting down his guard, even for a second, could (and often-times would) mean irreversible, unforeseen consequences.

Being able to sense the enemy was not the same as being prepared to take them on immediately, with barely a moment's notice.

Hence his sleep predicament.

Tanjirou is shaken out of his thoughts by the _kasugaigarasu's_ sudden cry.

"We're approaching the destination."

He looks ahead, but the thick foliage is still covering his line of sight. His nose, however, can just about pick out the sweetness of wisteria incense, barely wafting through the air.

They are indeed close. Maybe an hour away if he keeps going full speed.

'Thank gods.' He thinks to himself with some relief. There's anxiousness too, not unlike butterflies fluttering in his chest cavity.

'Not like there's a manual for what to do when suddenly facing the dead come back to life.' He reasons, wryly, trying to calm his racing heart that has nothing to do with the speed, but instead his nerves.

He hasn't let himself think too much of how it will feel to see his old comrades alive and well. It's just another mission - the most important one of his life.

The closer they get, the more he can smell the incense, and it's comforting in it's familiarity.

Soon after, he can see the large complex appear out of the woods and forces himself to slow his pace, unwilling to barge in through the doors.

"Here, here." The kasugaigarasu directs him to an alcove at the outer gate, some ways off the entrance.

Tanjirou follows obediently and takes a breather under the crow's sharp stare.

"Please wait here. You will be called in as soon as the Oyakata-sama has dealt with other matters. Expected time is about fifteen minutes."

He nods at the crow respectfully and settles down, in between the bushes, just slightly hidden to a casual observes.

The crow takes off with one last look and Tanjirou waits.

The air is still and silent. Only occasional breeze disturbs the picturesque scene.

It's more like ten minutes in the end, when his escort appears. Not a servant either.

The girl that is coming his way is young, with white hair and purple kimono. Tanjirou immediately recognizes her.

She comes to stand in front of him, her expression revealing nothing.

"I am Ubuyashiki Kanata. Please, come along. Father is waiting for you." Her voice holds little inclination, as she nods at him, but Tanjirou gets up with a nod and follows her lead once she turns back the way she came.

They pass through the garden and slip in through one of the concealed side entrances, Tanjirou barely has time to give it an assessing look.

The estate is surprisingly empty. It's just past midday and Tanjirou can sense people around the building, probably servants, getting on with their daily chores, but they do not encounter anyone on their way.

Kanata leads them through quiet corridors, past unused rooms and stairways, probably for the sake of privacy and anonymity, which Tanjirou appreciates.

* * *

Their path leads them to a door beyond which there is a well-lit room, given that it does not have any windows.

Kanata steps in first, with a small bow towards their audience and moves to stand on Oyakata-sama's left.

Tanjirou quickly scans the room, recognizing Oyakata-sama, Kiriya-sama and another person he does not know, but who by the looks is probably a sibling of both Kiriya-sama and Kanata.

His cursory glance barely takes him a second, and immediately after he smoothly slides down on one knee, bowing his head in a show of respect.

He can hear someone recounting his actions to Oyakata-sama, but doesn't dare to look up, until given permission.

"Hello. Please, stand and approach. We have just set table for refreshments." Oyakata-sama says to him in that enchanting voice of his. Tanjirou bites his lip, feeling the sting from where his teeth have accidentally drawn blood. How long has it been since he had last heard it?

With a shuddering sigh, Tanjirou slowly rises to his feet and approaches the small table. With slow movements, he removes his bag and his blade, leaving them on the floor and out of his immediate reach, before stepping closer and kneeling down on the mat.

Only then he dares to take a more careful look at the man opposite him. Oyakata-sama looks.. younger. Better? It's hard to say what his condition is. There are white bandages covering the upper half of his face and eyes. Tanjirou slowly breathes in, taking in the calm scent of Oyakata-sama's emotions and the sickly sweetness of his illness. Right now it is progressing slowly.

He shakes his head subtly. It would be beyond rude to space out now of all times.

He tries to think of a way to start the conversation, but Oyakata-sama beats him to it.

"I am Ubuyashiki Kagaya." Tanjirou's surprise must be tangible, because the man smiles at him serenely. "Ah, it seems that you do know me. Then you have me at a disadvantage. What is your name?"

The unknown girl pours everyone some tea. He takes it with a grateful nod, the warmth in his hands feels pleasantly grounding. He watches the others drink it first, out of respect rather than any concern of poison, and then takes a small sip for himself, feeling the warmth spread down to his chest, before he places the cup back on the table.

Tanjirou takes a deep breath, feeling slightly calmer. He hadn't really expected Oyakata-sama to introduce himself using his actual name, but he can dwell on that later.

He lifts his hands, making an eye contact with Kanata. He exhales and slowly moves his hands and fingers, letting them form familiar shapes. '_My name is Kamado Tanjirou_.'

Kanata's brow furrows just slightly, but the girl does not miss a beat. Young or not, she's professional. "The man is signing with his hands." She places a hand on her Father's arm, a silent question.

Oyakata-sama nods, thoughtful air stealing across his serene visage. "I see. Please interpret as directly as possible."

Kanata nods. "My name is," She looks at Tanjirou in silent question and he carefully finger-spells the characters. "Kamado Tanjirou." He nods at her and she gives a slow blink.

"Tanjirou-san then. Please forgive me my bluntness, but you are mute?"

'_I'm_-' Tajirou hesitates briefly, halting his hands mid-air. He looks down at them for a second and lightly squeezes his fingers into fists. He relaxes the hold and raises his hand in the universal signal of 'wait', which Kanata relays to Oyakata-sama. He then reaches up to his collar and unbuttons the first two buttons of his uniform and pulls the fabric to side, so it exposes his neck and part of his chest.

Kanata leans forward, her head cocked to side in what might be interest, but her voice holds as little inclination as ever. "Tanjirou-san's throat is covered with deep, healed incisions and scar tissue." She frowns a little, her eyes appraising the wounds before her, which are not at all pretty to look at, but makes it easy to draw conclusions from the sight alone.

Kanata spends a quick minute describing it to Oyakata-sama who only asks for a clarification of whether Tanjirou wants a doctor of their own to take a closer look at it, but nods respectfully when he politely declines. The damage to his vocal cords had been quite permanent and unrepairable, and though Tanjirou has some regrets, he's also learned to live with it.

Kanata continues. "There's also a great amount of scar tissue around the heart area. Almost like.." She signs at him quickly and Tanjirou blinks, before nodding a confirmation. "...like someone punched him straight through the chest." She purses her lips and it's the most emotion Tanjirou's seen her express ever.

"Any other injuries to be aware of?"

Tanjirou thinks it over, then nods slowly and points toward his right eye.

"The vision is slightly impaired, but I can still see out of it, if not in great detail. It's not a concern. I know how to rely on my other senses."

Tanjirou knows that Oyakata-sama understands that on a personal level and as such he is spared questions. It's strangely comforting.

"How did you survive that?" Oyakata-sama inquires quietly.

It's a simple question. Hardly a simple answer. He knows that the question is not about his eye in particular. Rather, it's about all the injuries, the most glaring of all being the one on his chest.

Tanjirou contemplates the best way to answer the question, while his fingers deftly button his shirt back up, hiding everything away once again, except for the thin scars that run all the way up, almost to his jawline. They're hard to see, unless you known they are there, but he never forgets.

Finally, he folds the collar back into it's place and lifts his hands again.

"You must have realized the circumstances that have led me here are quite unusual." He starts, Kanata dutifully lending him her voice.

"Indeed." Oyakata-sama says with a graceful nod. "I had the strangest dream. Of a feeling of urgency, a place I needed to find and of you. The earrings especially stood out to me, so I looked into it." He bows his head lightly. "I would apologize for the invasion of your privacy, but we live in troubled times."

Tanjirou smiles.

"It's alright. I understand." Kanata intones.

"There are not many people that wear those kind of earrings, Tanjirou-san." Oyakata-sama's demeanour is calm but he smells intrigued. "And how curious that you would share the name with the child from the one family that does, even if the boy is currently eight. It's not a coincidence, is it?"

Tanjirou smile fades just slightly and he inclines his head, letting his eyes slip closed. Oyakata-sama is not to be underestimated, yet Tanjirou feels a strange sort-of relief welling up inside him. His tale is unbelievable enough as it is, but it seemed that Oyakata-sama had pieced some things together already.

A pensive silence falls around them as the man considers the implications.

Tanjirou feels soothed, surrounded by familiar scents and hearing the wind chimes lightly sway somewhere nearby.

His eyes are drawn to his hands, now resting folded in his lap, and he absently traces the callouses of his fingers, trying to push the exhaustion off for a little longer.

It comes only as a slight shock, to hear how young his counterpart is. They had been aiming to give him the best possible head start, but the calculations had been uncertain at best, even with all the research. He could only pray that his current good luck would last in the future.

"How?" Tanjirou startles slightly, hearing Oyakata-sama's voice. He processes the question quickly though and signs.

"If you would like to take a look, I have started putting together detailed files on the demons, mainly the upper moons. It would be easier to explain if you were to familiarize yourself with the details of their strengths and respective powers first." There's an implied plea in the words too. To have a little more time.

Tanjirou would prefer it, if only to be able to finish putting together the rest of the files first. His other (immediate) concern is that he can feel a breakdown rapidly approaching, following which he is likely to pass out. Not exactly something he would prefer to do in Oyakata-sama's presence, if possible.

It's just a lot, all of a sudden. Logically, he knows where he is and even has had a couple of days to come to terms with it too. He had known what (who) he would have to face, even before he travelled.

However. Seeing them alive. Oyakata-sama still standing strong, despite his progressing illness. Kiriya-sama. So young, but with that familiar tempered steel already visible beyond his gaze and the way he carries himself. Kanata-san and her unwavering loyalty and level-headedness. It's... overwhelming.

Tanjirou notices when Kanata leans closer to Oyakata-sama and whispers something in his ear.

"Tanjirou-san." He speaks, after a minute. "Kanata will show you to your room. Please take your time to recover from your journey." His smile is so kind and Tanjirou just barely stops himself from tearing up. "Please leave the files to me and we will speak once you have rested."

Tanjirou bows deeply, brings up his hands, flattens his left and taps his right hand to his left wrist, and brings it upwards several times. He then takes his bag and pulls out the carefully rolled documents before placing them on the desk. Something else slips out of the bag and lands on the ground next to him. He blinks, startled, and picks up the letter, his eyes widening in realization.

He places the letter on top of the documents and signs.

"The letter is for you from.. before." Kanata intones. With her Father's permission, she picks it up and examines it, but before she can open it, Tanjirou taps the table gently to catch her attention again.

"Please read it out of my presence. I do not know what it says, and I would not want to betray..." Kanata pauses to watch Tanjirou finger-spell the name. "To betray.. Kiriya-sama's trust, in case he did not mean it for me to be aware of its' contents."

"I see. Thank you, Tanjirou-san." Oyakata-sama nods. "Now, I have taken enough of your time today. Kanata, please show him to the room and return when you are done."

Kanata nods and beckons Tanjirou to follow her. He gets up, bows deeply one more time and turns away.

Their short talk had exhausted him more than anything else had, since his journey had started. Admittedly, his sleep schedule (or lack thereof) had probably made the matters worse.

Their talk had gone on for all of about fifteen minutes, but it had undeniably been the most important thing he had done so far.

It had gone.. well.

Tanjirou watches as the sun filters through the various windows they pass by.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow.

That's when the real talks would begin.


End file.
